tihon



'(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. TIHON.

ELECTRIC LAMP Patented June 5, 1883.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. TIHON.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

' No. 278,832. Patented June 5,1883.

N. PETERS. Phclwulhognphcn Waihmgiun. D1;

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

(No Model.)

P. TIHON.

ELEGTRIG LAMP.

Patented June 5, 1883.

[11 Vania).

NY PETERS. Fhnln-Linwgnphun Washinglon, n. c.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIERRE TIHON, or LYONS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters. Patent No. 278,832, dated June 5, 1883.

Application filed December Z9, 1882. (No model.) Patented in France June 3, 1882, No. 149,422.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, PIERRE TIHON, of Lyons, in the Republic of France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

. Three classes of electric lamps have hereto- .fore been used-namely, the voltaic-arc lamp, the incandescent lamp, and the combined voltaic and incandescent lamp. The voltaic-arc lamp is objectionable because of the irregularity and sudden fluctuations which are inherent to it, and the incandescent lamp only gives a feeble light proportionate to the re sistance which it makes in the electric circuit, although the light is soft, regular, and capable of taking all tints most agreeable to the eye. In the third class of lamps, in which the voltaic are and incandescent are both utilized, the latter plays but a small part or is'utilized very imperfectly. To this latter class belongs the Jablochkoff taper, in which a stick of kaolin is employed. In this taper the rays of light are directed upward only, and the stick of kaolin is much too small to store and keep for any length of time a quantity of heat sufficient to render it luminous. To this same class also belongs what is known as the sun-lamp, in which a piece of refractory material placed in the volt-aic are is rendered incandescent. This lamp is objectionable because the small piece of refractory material employed, being acted on continuously in the same place, changes its conditions and the quality of the light emitted, and although the change is slow, and therefore less fatiguing to the sight than the other burners,

I it is nevertheless aserious objection.

The object of my invention is to provide a .lamp which will utilize both the volta-ic arc and incandescent, and will be free from the objections hereinbefore enumerated.

To this end my invention consists, essentially, in the combination, in an electric lamp, of

a bar of refractory material and carbon-holders carrying carbons which extend in a direction lengthwise of said bar, and are inclined relatively to said bar and to each other, and

rest against the face of said bar during the time they are in operation. The carbon-holders are pivoted or otherwise supported, so that the force of gravitation will maintain the car-,

- fractory material.

hens in contact with said piece or bar of rethe portion of the refractory piece or bar which is in the voltaic are is constantly changing, and is therefore not overheated or subject to material changes.

Hence it will be seen that The invention also consists in novel details of construction and combinations of parts in hercinatter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. represents an elevation of a lamp embodying my invention. Fig.2 represents a sectional plan thereof. Fig. 3 represents an elevation of a lamp of modified form, also embodying the invention. Fig. at represents a sectional plan of the lamp shownin Fig. 3. Figs. 5 andv 6 represent, respectively, an elevation and a sectional plan of a double lamp, alsov embodying my invention. Figs. 5* and 5*? are detail views, hereinafter described. Fig. 7 represents a side view of a lamp also embodying my invention. Fig. 8 represents apartly-see tional end view thereof, and Fig. 9 represents a detail view, hereinafter described.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, D designatesa base, of wood, glass, or other insulating material, upon which is erected a standard, M, of prismatic form and refractory material. The standard M is provided in one side with a dove tailed groove, in. which is fitted abar or piece, T, also made of refractory material, and provided on its face with a rib or tongue, (1. The standard M is retainedin place by two metallic uprights, N, connected at the top by a crosspiece, N, which is, however, insulated from them. In front ofthe piece or bar T are placed two carbons, I which are secured incarbonholders I and the carbon-holders are pro vided at their lower ends with spherical heads, a, which 'rest in cavities in carboirholder supports P Said supports are adjustablyiastened to the base D by screws of passing through slots in them. The carbonsl are inclined rel- ,atively to the piece T and each other, and their points rest against the face of the piece T, on opposite sides of the tongue a, which maintainsthem at a proper distance apart. The

carbons l naturally gravitatetoward the piece T as they burn off; but to insure their points always being against said piece I employ runners t, which are adapted to slide upward and downward on rods K. These runners cannot swing outward beyond a certain point because of their inner ends or tails, 1), coming against the uprights X, and they rest upon the carbons, and as they burn off the runners descend and preserve the contact o f the carbons with the face ofthe piece T. The runners also serveto bring the current near the points ot'thc carbons and prevent the current from runni ng the whole length of the carbons. \Yhen the current is passed through the lamp, the voltaic arc is established against the face ofthe piece T, which becomes incandescent and e nupensates tor any irregularities in the current. As the carbons burn off, their points moye downward on the piece T, and the portion .of the surface of said piece which is rendered incandescent is constantly but slowly changing.

Referring nowto Figs. 3 and -l-, T designates the piece of refractory material which is held betweeauprights N. ()ne of these uprights projects from a plate, N, which is secured rigidly to the basel); but the other upright projects t'roma plate, N, hinged at I). so that it maybe swung aside when desired. The piece Tis sustained vertically by an arm, '1", which is pivoted at If, and upon which saidpieee rests. \Vhen desired, the arm T may be swung to one side whereupon the piece T will drop thrtmgh the hole I) in the base I). The carbons I restagainst' the piece T on opposite sides of the tongue (1, and the ball or spherical ends a of the holders 1 rest in cavities in the plates i" N". The runners bear on the carbons P, as before described, but are of slightly-difterent form. They slide on rods K, and are prevented from moving outward away from the carbons by screws 11'', which may be adjusted so as to just bear on the uprights X. 1) designates a small square rod, parallel with the rods K, and carrying a hub or piece, (3, which turns with it, but is adapted to slide vertically upon it. To the hub or piece (lisattached an arm, 0, which carries a piece of carbon, Y, adapted to come between and make contact wit-h the carbons 1.. ()n the lower end of the rod E is a small pinion, c, withwhich engages a rack, 6-, on the core 0' of an electric magnet, c. When the lamp is in operation, the mag not, being energized, draws in the core 0" and turns the rod E to more the piece Y out of contact with the carbons. \Vhcn the force of the magnet diminishes, a spring, 011 the rod E draws the core outward and holds the piece Y in contact with the carbons l. for lighting.

'Reterring now to Figs. 5 and (5, which represent a double lamp, it will be seen that the pieces T, of refractory material, are held between uprights somewhat different in form from those before described. The pieces T are retained vertically by pins or boltsl 'd, which are kept under said pieces by springs (1, and

when it is desired to remove one of the pieces T all that is necessary is to draw back its pin or bolt (2 and the piece will fall. The runners which slide on the rods K, areheld against; movement away from, the carbons by rods 1i, arranged outside of and bet ween them, as best shown in Fig. (i. The small hubs or pieces and the square rods 10, on which they slide, are like the corrcspomling parts shown in Fig. 3; but the arm (1 and piece Y are not shown, as they would hide other parts of the drawings. The same rackand-pinitm arrangement operated by a magnet and core as are shown in Figs. 3 and r-may be used for turning therod E. More than two pairs'of carbons 1 may be em ployed, if desired, and they are intended to be brought into circuit one after another. As here represented, each carbon-holder l. is jointed to its support by a pin, c, and in the one support of each pair islormed a groove, (2, in which fits a te ther, e, on the pin c, as best shown in Figs. 5* 5**. The eye otthe carbon-holder 1, through which the pin c passes. also has a groove adapted to receive the feather v,- but the feather cannot enter it until the groove comes opposite thegroove c in the support, and that never occurs until the carbons are used. up. The pin 1' has a spring, c, bearing on one end and tendingto press it through the support 1; but it is arrested by its feather c abutting against the carbon-holder I, as shown in Fig. 5*. \Vhen the pair of carbons which have been in use are used up, the groove in said holder comes into coincidence with the groove e in the support .15, and the pin is then allowed to be moved by tl spring 6 into the position shown in Fig. 5 and the circuit is closed through the other pair of carbons by any suitable mechanism. (Not here represented.)

As the circuit-closer of itself forms no part of my invention, .l' have not thought it notes sary to show it. It may be of any ordinary construction.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and S, the carbons P and bars or pieces T, of refractory material,

IlO

are arranged in the form of a cylinder, which rior of the eye formed on the holder 1 is a notch or groove, and in the exterior of the eyes of the support 1 are other notches or grooves. \Vhen the carbons of a pair have been burned out so that they assume the position indicated by X, Fig. 7, the notches coincide. The cylinder has before been held by the eye of the carboirliolder bearing against the stop; but the notches being nowin coincidence pass over said stop, and the cylinder makes an eighth or other fraction of a turn before it is arrested by the neXt carbon-holder striking against the stop. I designates one of two contacts, to one of which is connected the wire F, and the other of which is connected by a wire, F, with the hanger G. As the cylinder makes its fraction of aturn, the supports of the carbon-holder carrying used-up carbons are removed from the contact-pieces I, and two other carbon-holder supports are moved into contact with said pieces. The contacts 1 act, therefore, as a com mutator. This form of apparatus is particularly adapted for lighting large spaces. It enables the apparatus to be placed in a globe, and all light emitted is directed downward in case the lamp is placed horizontally without any shadow.

I. do not-here make any specific claim to the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, but may make it the subject of a future application for Letters Patent.

employ the devices shown in Fig. 9.

In lieu of employing the mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4 for turning the rod E, ll may In this construction the rod E has a pin, g, projecting from it, and J designates an arm, pivoted at y, and provided with two pins, 1/", which may engage with the pin 9 as the arm is swung 011 its pivot, and so turn the rod E in one or the other direction. Upon the pivoted arm J is fixed a piece, J, of soft iron, which serves as an armature for a magnet, 72, and which itself carries a coil, 72. The coil h may be adjusted on the core J, and serves as a counter-weight, which tends to keep the arm J in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9. In this position, which is that when the lamp is not operating, the magnet h and core J are separated. Vhen the current is thrown into the circuit it magnetizes the bobbins h h and the core J is attracted, thereby moving the arm J into the position shown in full lines. By this movement one of the pins 9* is caused to act on the pin g, and thereby turns the rod E and with draws the carbon piece Y from the carbons P, and creates the voltaic are. XV hen the arm J moves in the reverse direction, the other pin renders the consumption of the carbons slower. I employ for these refractory bars or pieces substances calcined without fusion, for with other substances the liquid drop which forms between the points of the carbons acts as a lens, and by its ebullition produces irregularity ii the light.

\Vhat'I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a bar of refractory material and carbon-holders carrying carbons which extend in a direction lengthwise of said bar, and are inclined relatively to the bar and to each other and rest against the face of the bar, substantially as herein described, whereby the carbons are caused to gravitate against the face of the bar and to burn opposite different portions of the bar as they are consumed.

2. The combination of the bar T, of refractory material, provided on 'its face with the tongue or rib u, and the carbons I, extending in a direction lengthwise of said bar, and in.- clined relatively to the said bar and to each other, and which rest against the face of the said bar on opposite sides of said tongue or rib a, substantially as herein described, whereby the carbons are held against the face of the bar, and are caused to burn opposite different portions thereof as they are consumed.

3. The combination, with the refractory bar T, of carbons 1, extending lengthwise thereof, inclined relatively to the said bar and to each other, and resting against the face of said bar, whereby the carbons are caused to burn opposite different portions of the face of said bar as they are consumed, and a device for sustaining said bar capable of being drawn out to release said bar and allow it to fall, suli stantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with a piece or bar of refractory material and carbons inclined rela tively thereto, and having their points bearing against the face thereof, of the vertically-sliding runners for retaining said carbons against said piece or bar, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, with the piece or bar of refractory material and the inclined carbons resting against the face thereof, of the rod E, the hub or piece 0, adapted to slide thereon, and carrying a piece of carbon, Y, and a magnet for turning said rod, substantially as and for the purpose described.

This specification signed this 18th, day of November, 1882.

PIERRE TIHON.

Vitnesses;

I. P. A. lVIARTIN, GERMAIN JEAN.

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